HONG KONG – Hong Kong media tycoon and Beijing critic Jimmy Lai, the most high-profile person charged under the national security law, will remain in custody, and will have to wait after the city’s top court said it would announce its verdict on his bail application at a later date.
Lai’s return to custody was on the basis of Article 42 of the security law, which says that “no bail shall be granted to a criminal suspect or defendant unless the judge has sufficient grounds for believing that the criminal suspect or defendant will not continue to commit acts endangering national security”.
On Monday, the Court of Final Appeal said the judgement will be announced on a date to be informed at a later stage.
Prosecutors have accused Lai of violating the law over his statements on July 30 and August 18, which had allegations that he requested foreign interference in Hong Kong’s affairs.
As per the new law, it is the defendant’s responsibility to prove they would not be a national security threat if released on bail.